Swimming pool and cover

Abstract

An improved swimming pool construction and cover includes a swimming pool cover laid on the water of the pool and having a marginal edge provided with one component of the two component elongated locking member. The second component of the locking member is disposed in the pool coping or deck edge accessible at the pool interior for engagement by the locking member component on the pool cover. The locking component associated wit the pool is provided in a retrofit configuration by securing a locking component to a vinyl liner bead lock secured in the vinyl liner bead channel in a pool coping. In a new vinyl-lined pool construction, a coping is provided with a secondary channel with one component of the cover locking member secured therein. In a gunnite pool, a channel is formed in the deck edge and a component of the releasable cover locking member is secured in the channel for securement of the pool cover thereto. Apparatus and methods are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lined swimming pool and removable cover therefor comprising: a first elongated channel disposed along an upper edge of said pool;   a pool liner having an edge bead disposed in said channel;   an insertable bead locking means inserted in said channel for locking said bead therein;   a first portion of a two component releasable locking means secured to said bead locking means outside said first channel and exposed to the interior of said pool;   a pool cover having dimensions sufficient for extension thereof from wall to wall across the pool;   said pool cover having peripheral edges, and   a second portion of said two component releasable locking means secured to said peripheral edge of said cover and releasably engageable with said first portion outside said first channel for releasably securing said cover to said bead locking means outside said first channel and across said pool.   
     
     
       2. A swimming pool and removable cover as in claim 1 wherein said cover is sized to lie on water in said pool with said peripheral edges of said cover extending upwardly from said water proximate said first elongated channel. 
     
     
       3. In a lined swimming pool having walls and a deck edge along the upper portion of said walls, means for securing a cover to the pool and including, an elongated channel disposed in said deck edge,   a pool liner having an edge disposed in said channel;   a liner edge locking means inserted into said channel with said liner edge for securing said liner edge therein, said locking means having a portion extending outside said channel;   a multiple component releasable cover locking means having at least first and second operative portions; the first operative portion of said releasable locking means secured to said outward extending portion of said edge locking means outside said channel and exposed inwardly toward said pool;   said second operative portion adapted to be secured to the cover,   said first operative portion of said releasable locking means being selectively releasably engageable, outside said channel, with the second operative portion of said releasable locking means for securing the cover to the pool.     
     
     
       4. A retrofit swimming pool cover and attachment apparatus for a vinyl-lined swimming pool having a channel around the upper edge thereof for receiving and holding an edge bead of a vinyl pool liner therein, said cover and attachment apparatus comprising in combination: a pool cover having a peripheral edge;   an elongated, vinyl bead locking member insertable into said channel for holding said edge bead therein, said locking member having a first portion sized to extend into said channel for locking said bead therein and a second portion sized to extend outside said channel;   an elongated two-component releasable locking means, one component thereof secured to the peripheral edge of said cover and another component thereof secured to said second portion of said bead locking member for disposition outside said channel,   said two components being selectively releasably engaged with each other for releasably securing said cover over a pool, between the walls thereof, when said locking member is inserted into said channel.   
     
     
       5. Apparatus for attaching a swimming pool cover on a vinyl-lined pool of the type having a coping with a channel for receiving and holding an edge bead of a pool liner at an upper portion of a pool wall, said apparatus comprising: a releasable liner bead locking and pool cover attachment means for securing said pool liner and cover to said channel, said releasable locking and attachment means comprising a first leg portion sized to extend into said channel for locking said bead therein and a second leg portion connected to said first leg portion and sized to be disposed outside said channel, and   a multiple component releasable locking member means for securing said pool cover to said releasable locking and attachment means, said releasable locking member means comprising a first component secured to said second leg portion for disposition outside said channel and adapted for selective releasable engagement outside said channel with a second operative component of said releasable locking member means attached to the pool cover for releasably securing the pool cover to the pool.   
     
     
       6. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said first leg includes means for locking said bead locking and pool cover attachment means, with said bead, in said channel. 
     
     
       7. A method of retrofitting an existing vinyl-lined swimming pool for a cover wherein the pool includes a channel around an upper portion thereof receiving an edge bead of a depending pool liner including the steps of: inserting into said channel an elongated liner bead locking member having a first component of a multiple-component, releasable cover locking member secured thereto, disposing said first component outside said channel alongside said depending liner and exposing it to an interior of said pool, and releasably securing to said first component, outside said channel, a second component of said releasable cover locking member secured to the cover.   
     
     
       8. A method as in claim 7 further including the steps of: disposing the swimming pool cover, having the second component of said releasable cover locking member secured proximate an edge thereof, over water in said pool and engaging said two components thereby releasably securing said cover to said pool proximate said channel.   
     
     
       9. Apparatus for securing a cover to a swimming pool of the type having a depending liner covering walls thereof, wherein said pool has an elongated channel extending around the pool proximate the upper edge of said walls, and said liner has an edge bead disposed in said channel for securing said liner in place, the improvement comprising: a liner bead locking means for securing said liner bead in said channel, said liner bead locking means having a first portion sized to be disposed at least partially within said channel for locking said liner bead therein and a second portion sized to be disposed outside said channel alongside said depending liner;   a two component releasable cover locking means for securing said pool cover to said liner bead locking means,   said second portion of said liner bead locking means including a first component of said two component releasable cover locking means,   a second component of said two component releasable cover locking means adapted to be attached to the cover,   wherein said two components of said cover locking means are selectively and releasably connectable together outside said channel to secure said second component and the cover attached thereto over said pool.   
     
     
       10. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said cover has a shape similar to that of said pool, but is larger such that said cover extends from proximate said channel downwardly to lie on the surface of water in said pool when said two components are releasably secured together. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus for releasably securing a pool cover to a pool of the type having a liner with an edge bead disposed in an elongated channel and bead lock means for locking said bead therein, said apparatus comprising a liner bead lock means for securing said liner bead in said channel, said liner bead lock means having a first portion sized to be disposed within said channel to lock said liner bead therein, and a second portion sized to be disposed outside said channel, said bead lock means second portion including a first component of a two component releasable cover locking means secured thereto;   a second component of said two component releasable cover locking means adapted for securement to the cover for said pool and;   said two components being releasably attached such that said second component is disposed entirely outside said channel to secure said cover over said pool when said bead lock means is disposed in said channel and said cover is disposed over said pool.   
     
     
       12. A liner bead locking means for use in a pool of the type having a depending wall liner with an edge bead disposed in a groove oriented around the top of the swimming pool walls and for securing a cover over said pool, said liner bead locking means being insertable into said groove for locking said bead therein and said liner bead locking means having one portion sized to be disposed alongside said depending liner outside said groove and carrying means for releasable attachment thereof to a pool cover for securing said cover to said pool outside said groove. 
     
     
       13. A combined liner locking and cover securing apparatus for swimming pools of the type having lined pool walls and a groove around an upper edge of said walls for securing an edge bead of a depending liner therein, said apparatus comprising; a bead locking means for securing said liner bead in said groove, said bead locking means having at least a first portion adapted for insertion into said groove to lock the bead of a depending liner therein, and further having a second portion sized to be disposed outside said groove, said second portion having one surface sized to be disposed alongside said depending liner and a second surface thereof having thereon a first component of a multiple component, releasable cover locking means thereon adapted for releasable connection outside said groove to a cover for holding said cover on said pool.   
     
     
       14. Apparatus for attaching a swimming pool cover on a vinyl-lined pool of the type having a coping with a channel for receiving and holding an edge bead of a pool liner at an upper portion of a pool wall, said apparatus comprising: a releasable liner bead locking and pool cover attachment means for securing said pool liner and cover to said channel, said releasable locking and attachment means comprising a first leg portion sized to extend into said channel for locking said bead therein and a second leg portion connected to and being substantially perpendicular to said first leg portion and sized to be disposed outside said channel,   said second leg portion having an elongated trough, and   a multiple component releasable locking member means for securing said pool cover to said releasable locking and attachment means, said releasable locking member means comprising a first component secured to said second leg portion in said trough for disposition outside said channel and adapted for operative engagement outside said channel with a second operative component of said releasable locking member means attached to the pool cover for releasably securing the pool cover to the pool.